Mix Bus

[andrushkiwt]

There’s probably a very easy answer to this question, so sorry for wasting anyone’s time with this…

Most videos I watch on mixing the drums in SD2 typically route the buses from SD2 to the DAW. From there, you can stack on the EQ, comp, etc…

But I don’t understand why they are taking the buses and not the individual channels on the mixing tab in SD2? For example, when you first open the “mixing” tab in SD, you see KD Sub, snare top, snare bottom, etc… Then, as you scroll right, you see a ton of additional channels that are buses. But from my understanding, these “buses” still only contain single channels (instruments). So, then, why even grab those channels onto your DAW’s workspace? Why not work with the 15 or so individual channels that you see on the left side of the mix tab? Can’t you still drag those channels onto your DAW? Why all the talk on the additional buses? Perhaps I’m missing something entirely, and something important, about those extra channels after the individual pieces are mic’d.

https://soundcloud.com/andrushkiwt

Topic

[EachHit]

As I started out I also did some mixing in SD but it is much easier when you do it in your DAW. You could use the Busses in SD when you route all Snaredrums to one Bus so you could process your Snare with one Channel.
As I got more experienced I routed all Channels out to Auxes in Pro Tools and processed and mixed from there. But nowadays when I know which Kit I use then I Bounces all Tracks to individual Audiotracks cause that saves CPU Power.
But I also use AuxBusses in Pro Tools, For example I route all Toms (mono) to a Stereo Aux Track. So I can control the Volume of them all together.

Heavy Greetz

[andrushkiwt]

So, the bus section on the SD mixer is blank when you start a session? Maybe I wasn’t following the videos very well, if that’s the case. I get why you would want to group the toms together, to control the combined effect, but I wasn’t sure why all the videos skipped the individual channels altogether and went right to the bus section of the mixer in SD. I’d rather work each individually. But I’m thinking that routing each drum piece to the DAW will increase the workload of the CPU, especially when effects start piling up.

While we’re at it, yesterday you mentioned that you double up on the snare. What techniques do you use for this? What is different about the two snares? And what is the result of mixing those two snares together? I will try this at home later. I’m thinking it can give a “beefier” sound…?

https://soundcloud.com/andrushkiwt

[EachHit]

@andrushkiwt said:

So, the bus section on the SD mixer is blank when you start a session? Maybe I wasn’t following the videos very well, if that’s the case. I get why you would want to group the toms together, to control the combined effect, but I wasn’t sure why all the videos skipped the individual channels altogether and went right to the bus section of the mixer in SD. I’d rather work each individually. But I’m thinking that routing each drum piece to the DAW will increase the workload of the CPU, especially when effects start piling up.

While we’re at it, yesterday you mentioned that you double up on the snare. What techniques do you use for this? What is different about the two snares? And what is the result of mixing those two snares together? I will try this at home later. I’m thinking it can give a “beefier” sound…?

I can’t remember what the SD looks like when you open it. I work mostly with my own templates now where I have already done all the routing.
If you are on Pro Tools you may get what you need out of this Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TV5Mybc0zY

Out 1/2 is the Stereo Bus and I think that is where you start from. I normally send each instrument to it’s own Out. Starting with Out 3/4. For Example I send the Kick to Ouz 3/4 and put the Fader to the Left and maybe the snare also to 3/4 but the put Fader to the Right.
It took me quite a time to fully understand the routing. But if you get it it’s not that hard and when you have it then it works like a charm.
When you route all channels to Pro Tools then you will definetely need a bit of CPU Power. But as I started I mixed completely Songs with an DualCore from AMD (X6000) without problems.

When you are a bit low on CPU Power you should bounce all Drums to individual Audio channels. That way you save tons of CPU Power.

The Benefit of mixing 2 or more Snares together is that you can easily get a fatter sound. Maybe you got a Snare which has a nice Attack and one with a nice Body. If you layer them in SD and trigger them from the same Midinote then you got a pretty fat Snare.

Heavy Greetz

[showemtheropes]

Hi guys, just needed some help. mine doesn’t have a bus send dropdown that says (bus 1/2) its shows (see attached)
by the way im using ver 2.0, i watched other mix/bus tutorials, they had (out 1/2, 3/4 etc.) mine, says (out1 or out2 etc) i think it has gone mono?any suggestions?

i encountered this problem when i tried to put a reverb on a snare, because the whole kit sends to reverb bus, when i want just the snares. Thank you..

[Scott]

Please download and install the latest version 2.4.2 from your Toontrack account.

Scott Sibley - Toontrack
Technical Advisor

[Nigel Moore]

Sorry this is not a reply but a question, I can’t work out how to make a new post. When I send EZ drummer 2’s stereo tracks, toms. overheads, ambiance and reverb over in to a pro tools 10 session they do not come out in proper stereo, The two stereo channels show exactly the same wave pattern so it’s dual mono. I have by chance recorded the stereo channels in true stereo once and the two wave forms are plainly different and a true stereo sound produced is really noticable enhancing the drums sound. Do I need to fix this in EZ drummer 2 or is a Pro Tools problem, I cannot find a way to repeat the process that made the real stereo tracks?
Thank You,
Nigel Moore.

[Author]

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